New BMA (UK) Banner (12.5.2018)

When the Buddhism – Marxism (UK) online presence was founded in Oxford on the 20th of July, 2013 (by the Oxford Collective – a non-aligned Marxist-Leninist group), it was a matter of finding some kind of parallel between the leftwing in general, and Buddhism inparticular. Although research had been ongoing since the mid-1960’s, it is true to say that great strides have been made in just 5 years regarding the development of an academic analysis between Marxism-Engels-ism – Marxist-Leninism and Early Buddhism. Initially, it was thought that the slogans of the French Revolution might serve as a bridging mechanism, particularly with regards to liberty, equality and brotherhood, although these attributes – when compared to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha – were not universally accepted at the time. Recently, our in-house academic (online) researcher – Dr Adrian Chan-Wyles – discovered a text recording the words of Marx which directly attacked these slogans. This text is as follows within which Marx rejects all attempts at moralising or idealising the process of dialectical and historical materialism:

‘’One of the letters to FA Sorge is characteristic of this attitude. In it he complained about the emergence of a “rotten spirit” in the Party, and spoke of a “whole gang of half-mature students and superwise doctors who want to give socialism s “higher, idealistic” orientation, that is to say, to replace the materialistic basis (which requires serious, objective study from anyone who wants to make use of it) with modern mythology, with its goddesses of Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.”

The Revolutionary Steering Committee of the BMA (UK) has discussed this matter and voted to formally align the BMA (UK) with Marxism-Leninism and reflect this announcement by changing the banner now known to represent this organisation. This is not a change in policy (as the BMA (UK) has always rejected Trotskyism and embraced Marx and Lenin), but rather a confirmation of an already existing policy that was not clear to everyone. Therefore, the old representation of ‘Liberty, Equality and Brotherhood’, has been replaced with ‘Marxism-Leninism, Socialism and Communism’. The RSC of the BMA (UK) will make a separate announcement about his change shortly.